Grateful Dead snag 2024 Kennedy Center Honors with Bonnie Raitt and more

A new class of Kennedy Center Honors winners has arrived.

The honorees, announced Thursday by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for their achievements and contributions to the arts, included filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, members of the rock band Grateful Dead, singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt and jazz artist Arturo Sandoval.

The Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, is also an honoree – a historic first for the Kennedy Center to honor an institution. The special award came as the venue, which promotes black talent, celebrated its 90th anniversary.

“The Grateful Dead has always been about community, creativity and exploration of music and presentation. We have always felt that the music we make embodies and communicates something beyond the notes and phrases played – and that is something we can share with anyone who is drawn to what we do. So it must also be said that our music belongs to our fans, the Dead Heads, as much as it does to us. So this honor belongs to them as much as it does to us,” the band, consisting of Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bobby Weir, said in a press release.

Coppola said: “I feel very fortunate to have been able to work with amazing artists and wonderful people throughout my career, and I have never stopped learning. There is no greater honor than to be among those who have inspired me, looked up to me, and encouraged me in difficult times.”

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Raitt added: “There is no higher appreciation and no more beautiful celebration and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all who have bestowed this honor on me.”

“Each of this year’s honorees has played an invaluable, groundbreaking role in the development of American culture – not just through artistic achievement, but through decades-long commitment to expanding creative boundaries,” said Deborah F. Rutter, president of the Kennedy Center, in a press release.

When will the 2024 Kennedy Center Honors take place?

The 47th Annual Kennedy Center Honors will air on December 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and stream on Paramount+ (Premium subscribers can stream live).

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